The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 17) that five samples of bottled pasteurised milk of the same batch imported from New Zealand were detected with total bacterial counts exceeding the legal limit. The concerned batch of the product has not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the incident.

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the three samples of 225 millilitres pack and two samples of 1 litre pack for testing at import level under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the total bacterial counts of the three samples of 225 millilitres pack ranged between 24 000 000 per millilitre and 28 000 000 per millilitre while those of the two samples of 1 litre pack were 17 000 000 per millilitre and 20 000 000 per millilitre. According to the Milk Regulation (Cap 132 AQ), milk after heat treatment by means of pasteurisation should not contain more than 30 000 bacteria per millilitre.

"The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity. Investigation revealed that the affected batch of product has not entered the local market and has been destroyed under the supervision of the CFS. The CFS has temporarily suspended the permission to import for sale of the product concerned granted earlier to the importer. Other types of the same brand of milk product being sold in the market are not affected. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence."

The spokesman said that the total bacterial counts exceeding the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean it would lead to food poisoning.

The CFS has informed the New Zealand authorities of the incident, and will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action.